The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-04-29

plain to myself how il was that / was
startled or caioleu into asserting. Per-
haps the novelty of the notion. acting
on somewhat adventurous fancy, made
me yield more readily to the old mans
entreaty than would otherwise have been
the case. said Yes" and was held to
mysWord
"Hist walls have ears, and certainly
arbors have" whispered the landlord of
the inn, as he led me cautiously round by
the back door into the partially illumi-
mated. space without. WRAP your over
coat well about you, and hide your face
with this red handkerchief. We mustn't
let the people see as yet it's raw hand
that's to go aloft. Once up, we can laugh
it OFF, This was all very well for the inn
keeper, whose only wish was to keep the
rabble in good humor, and avoid riot,
which might lead to the pillage of his
cellar and the demolition of his furni-
ture, but I began. inwardly to question
the wisdom of my own choice. How
ever, it was too late to withdraw.
There was the Defiance, majestically
poised above the ground, like vessel
riding at anchor. There was nothing for
it but to carry out. as best l might, the
madcap enterprise on. which / had en-
barked
"Come, you had better get into the car
and be ready" said the landlord, still in
an undertone, as he passed me through
the Gordon of police that kept back the
foremost of the spectators. "Don't talk,
but if anybody speaks to you wave flag
that does as well. M. de Villeneuve
writes me word he'll not arrive till the
last moment, when we start the fireworks
As soon as he's beside you, up you go, re-
member"
/ was now in the rocking, swaying car,
and STOPPING down, Il ascertained. that
the bags of ballast, the coil of spare rope,
the flags and telescope were at my feet !;
then assured myself that 1.-THE gfapneT
was provided with its tough cord, and
then the whizz of rocket, and a de-
scending shower of colored spangles of
fire gave warming note of preparation.
More rockets now SCARED aloft, amidst
the I. huzzas of the crowd, and then,
springing from the dTiyipg-seat of a
light open carriage drawn by gray
horse, there appeared the figure Of a
stout. well-dressed man, who 'elbowed
his way SO quickly through the thFDng
that had scarcely time to conjecture
that this must be the volunteer com
panion of my aerial voyage, M. Victor
de Villeneuve, before he scrambled into
the car and was at my side.
."Allons, let go, mes braves p he cried
in sharp, imperious tone to the men
who held the ropes. sBas les cordes,
do you heari'' -.
A voice raised in accents of command
seldom fails of its effect, however ques-
tionable may be the right of him who up
lifts it. and the men addressed, in their
establishment, mechanically obeyed. The
balloon rose little, nothing now re-
straining its upward flight save the trig-
ger-cord, firmly moored to a post below,
the spring being in my grasp.
"Montons, camaradel off we gol ex-
claimed the passenger, with a jovial
laugh that had scarcely the ring of honest
mirth in it.
Perhaps M. de Villeneuve, for all his
staggering department, was i'll at ease as
to the. results of our voyage, and strove
to carry it off gayly; such were my
thoughts as the Catherine wheels began
to revolve in cascades of whirling fire,
and the crowd to cheer. 1t was the mo-
ment for our start, but I hesitated to- pull.
the trigger, for now strange hustle and
confusion below attracted my attention.
A mounted gendarme, his sabre and
carbine clanking, had ridden UP at the
full gallop of his reeking horse, followed
at distance by three others, who spurred,
furiously forward. There were few
hurried questions, then a smothered out
cry, a roar of voices, and a .swaying
backward and forward of the excited
populace. ~
i looked down at the crowd of up.
turned faces. NJ
Stop stop Aunom de la lott Eng
lishman, stayp' cried out the brigadier of
the foot-police. "a.
"Let go, foolps Numbered the man
who sat beside me insthe car. 'T ~
"But tits the police that began,
thinking that NJ. de Villeneuye had sud.
denly taken leave of his senses
"Come down! stop-.kaul the ropep
was the. shout from below; but as the
words reached my ear, my companion
bent forward Something flashed in
his hand-a dagger knife and the cord
was cut, and the balloon 'darted' upward.
.'In the name of the lawI-ah you
won't? cried a gendarme, discharging his
carbine, an example that was followed by
his comrades but the balls whistled idly
by, while we rose and rose, until the inn,
and the gardens, and the shouting crowd,
and the spluttering fireworks, had dimin-
ished to pigmy size, and presently disap-
peared altogether, and the balloon rode
on, solitary, through the fields of air.
"a nous deux, maintenantp p said M. de
Villeneuye, with chuckle that was in,
comprehensive to me- "a singular sa-
lutte our friends gave US, eh, when they
babe US bon voyageY 7
The moon, half full, had now risen,
and could see the face of my compan-
ion-the swarthy, keen face of a man
forty years of age, with short, dark hair,
slightly grizzled, fiery black eyes and
very white, strong, sharp-pointed teeth,
which gave him, when he smiled, some
what the expression of a laughing wolf.
He was man of powerful frame, and
the fingers of'the gloved hand which he
now laid upon my arm were as strong
and supple as steel.
"Avow," said this strange passenger,
with grin that an ogre might have
envied, "Ayow that you take me for
queer specimen of the French provincial
gentry, heing But first, how comes it
that the pere Killick is absent, and a
blanc-bec of your age has the honor to
be nv DilOt ?"